California limits workers' compensation for pro athletes

SACRAMENTO, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation limiting the ability of professional athletes to file for workers' compensation benefits in the state.

The new law requires professional athletes to have played at least two complete seasons for a team in California to be eligible to file for workers' compensation, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Additionally, if an athlete has played seven or more seasons for a team outside California, they are ineligible for benefits even if they meet the two-season requirement within the state.

Brown signed the legislation Tuesday after more than a year of heavy lobbying by professional sports leagues, which stand to reduce their financial liabilities for concussions and other brain injuries sustained by players, the Times said.

Only five members of the Legislature voted against the law.

"Our workers' compensation system will no longer be unfairly targeted by out-of-state professional athletes," Democratic Assemblyman Henry T. Perea of Fresno said.

Critics of the law said it allowed wealthy owners and teams to shirk responsibility for employees injured on the job.

"It's a sellout to the billionaire owners" of professional teams, said Melissa Brown, a workers' compensation attorney in Sacramento. "Players are suffering these terrible injuries, especially the older ones. They are going to be without a remedy."

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.